Ron Artest ran on the treadmill for about 10 minutes. However, he is still experiencing dizziness and is not cleared to play yet.

Kobe Bryant on Ron Artest, “He’s a warrior like I am, he plays through everything, so for him to be out it has to be really bothering him.”

Obviously the Lakers are worse defensively without Artest, and they have been struggling to win with him. With two straight games of giving up 118 points, there defense has become inconsistent. Or is it? Read my next post which will be up later today about the Lakers struggling defense.

Well.. After two straight losses to Cleveland and Phoenix, fans and analyzers have come to disbelieve in the Lakers. Leading the Lakers last night in their loss to the Suns, Kobe Bryant scored 34 points in 36 minutes, shooting 14-26. The Suns led by Amare Stoudemire, who scored 26 points in 32 minutes. Also, the Suns had support from Jared Dudley, who had a career high 19 points, along with 7 boards, 3 threes, and 3 assists. The Suns do not have a true center or dominant big man, with Amare Stoudemire usually shooting 15 footers or slamming it down, the Lakers supposedly were supposed to win pretty easily. Result: The opposite. a loss. Now, everyone said the Lakers could win because of their height.. They did not use it enough with their highest score being a guard.

After Kobe sat out the last 8 minutes when Phil Jackson thought the game was out of hand, he gave his bench some time in the game that 1) rests the starters , 2) gives them experience that is key in June. This is what Phil Jackson had to say about the game.

“I wasn’t comfortable with my starters or my bench,” Jackson said. “I didn’t like either group. Guys didn’t play right. We had the inside game going for us, yet we just didn’t attack.” (From espn.com)

Steve Nash also had 16 points and 13 assists. Again, the Lakers were without Ron Artest for the second straight game after he suffered a concussion and injured his left elbow when he fell at his house after the loss on Christmas Day. Hopefully the Lakers will win tonight against Golden State in order to snap their two game losing skid.